Morton C. Hunter

Morton Craig Hunter
Morton Craig Hunter
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 3rd district
In office March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1869
Preceded by	Ralph Hill
Succeeded by	William S. Holman
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 6th district
In office March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875
Preceded by	Daniel W. Voorhees
Succeeded by	Milton S. Robinson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 8th district
In office March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1879
Preceded by	James N. Tyner
Succeeded by	Abraham J. Hostetler
Personal details
Born	(1825-02-05)February 5, 1825 Versailles, Indiana
Died	October 25, 1896(1896-10-25) (aged 71) Bloomington, Indiana
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America Union
Service/branch	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1862-1865
Rank	Colonel Brevet Brigadier General
Commands	82nd Indiana Infantry 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, XIV Corps
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Morton Craig Hunter (February 5, 1825 - October 25, 1896) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War who later became a U.S. Representative from Indiana.

Biography

Morton Hunter was born in Versailles, Indiana and knew the hardships of growing up in a pioneer home. His father John Hunter was a soldier in the War of 1812 and his Irish immigrant grandfather served in the Revolutionary war. Morton Hunter graduated from the law department of Indiana University at Bloomington in 1849.^[1]

After graduating he immediately married and practiced law in Bloomington. In 1858 he was elected to represent Monroe County in the State house of representatives.

In the summer of 1862 in response to Lincoln's call for volunteers, he organized the 82nd Indiana Infantry. On August 27, 1862 he was commissioned a colonel by Governor Oliver Morton. At the Battle of Chickamauga when Confederate Gen. Longstreet routed the right wing of the Army of the Cumberland, Hunter on his own initiative was the first officer to form a new position on Horseshoe ridge that was to become the line that saved the army from destruction. His commanding officer John Connell wrote of Hunter's stubborn resistance on that ridge "which truly and most fortunately changed the fortunes of that disastrous day, and saved the army from worse than defeat.". In the Battle of Missionary Ridge Hunter's 82nd and the 99th Ohio were the first two regiments to attack Bragg's center with orders to halt after taking the Confederate line below Missionary ridge. Not content to be subjected to murderous fire from the high ground, the attacking units charged the ridge, and Hunter's 82nd was the first of his division to gain the summit and occupy the confederate works. The initiative of his and Ohio units collapsing Bragg's center was the pivotal moment of the battle. For his gallantry that day, Hunter received the commendation of his commanders. He was later promoted to command his regiment's brigade (First Brigade, Third Division, Fourteenth Army Corps) under Gen. George Thomas and led his unit on Sherman's March to the Sea. At the end of the war he received a brevet commission as a brigadier general of volunteers. He was honorably discharged June 24, 1865.^[2]

Hunter was elected as a Republican to the Fortieth Congress (March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1869).

Hunter was elected to the Forty-third, Forty-fourth, and Forty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1879).

After leaving office he operated a quarry in the Indiana limestone district.

He died in Bloomington, Indiana, October 25, 1896 and was interred in Rose Hill Cemetery.

See also

• List of American Civil War generals

Notes

1. ↑ Indiana. Commission for the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Park (1901). Indiana at Chickamauga, 1863-1900: Report of Indiana Commissioners. W. B. Burford. p. 234. 
2. ↑ p 235-236, Indiana at Chickamauga

References

• Morton C. Hunter at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved on 2008-02-12

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana 1st district Prince Call Boon Blake Boon Proffit Owen Embree Albertson Lockhart Miller Lockhart Niblack Law Niblack Fuller Heilman Kleiner Hovey Posey Parrett Taylor Hemenway Foster Boehne, Sr. Lieb Denton Luhring W. Wilson Rowbottom Boehne, Jr. Schulte Madden Benjamin Hall Visclosky 2nd district Jennings Carr Ewing J. W. Davis Ewing J. W. Davis Thompson Henley Dunham English Cravens Kerr Wolfe Williams Humphreys Cobb O'Neall Bretz Hardy Miers Chaney Cullop Bland Greenwood Durgan Halleck Landgrebe Fithian Sharp McIntosh Pence Chocola Donnelly Walorski 3rd district Test O. Smith Test Carty Carr Graham Carr J. L. White T. Smith Robinson Dunham Dunn Hughes Dunn Harrington R. Hill Hunter Holman Kerr Carr Bicknell Stockslager Howard Brown Tracewell Zenor Cox Dunbar Gardner Dunbar Crowe Pettengill Grant Crook Crumpacker Nimtz Brademas Hiler Roemer Souder Stutzman 4th district Lane Dunn T. Smith Cravens C. Smith Julian Parker Lane Cumback Foley Holman Farquhar Holman Julian Je. Wilson New Sexton New Holman Watson Holman Griffith Dixon Benham Canfield Farley Gillie Kruse Adair Roush Quayle Coats Long Souder Buyer Rokita 5th district McCarty Rariden Kennedy Brown Wick Brown Hendricks Parker Holloway Kilgore Julian Coburn Holman Browne Matson Cooper Overstreet Faris Holliday Moss Sanders N. Johnson Gillen Griswold Harness Walsh Beamer Roush Roudebush Hillis Jontz Buyer Burton Brooks 6th district Kinnard Herod Wick Wallace J. W. Davis Dunn Gorman Hendricks Barbour Gregg Porter Dumont Coburn Voorhees Hunter Robinson Myers Browne H. Johnson Watson Barnard Gray Comstock Elliott Larrabee Jenckes N. Johnson Harden Wampler Roudebush Bray Evans Burton Pence Messer 7th district Hannegan A. White Howard Lane Wright McGaughey Thompson McGaughey J. G. Davis Scott J. G. Davis Voorhees Washburn Orth Manson Cason Landers Hanna Matyr Peelle English Bynum Henry Overstreet Korbly Moores Updike Ludlow Greenwood Landis Noland Bray Myers Pease Kerns J. Carson A. Carson 8th district Pettit McDonald Mace Ja. Wilson A. White Orth Tyner Hunter Hostetler Peirce Lamb Johnston Brookshire Faris Henry Cromer Adair Vestal Boehne, Jr. La Follette Mitchell Denton Merrill Denton Zion Hayes Cornwell Deckard McCloskey Hostettler Ellsworth Bucshon 9th district Sample Cathcart Fitch Eddy Shanks Cason M. White Orth Doxey Ward Cheadle Waugh Hanly Landis Morrison Purnell Crowe E. Wilson Hogan E. Wilson Hamilton B. Hill Sodrel B. Hill Young 10th district Kennedy Rockhill Harlan Brenton Chamberlain Case Mitchell Edgerton Defrees Williams Sayler Haymond Calkins Motte T. Wood Owen Patton Hammond Hatch Crumpacker Peterson W. Wood Gray Springer Harvey Harmon Harvey Roudebush Dennis Sharp Jacobs, Jr. J. Carson 11th district Harlan Pettit Shanks McDowell Stilwell Shanks Packard Evans Cowgill Steele Martin Steele Landis Rauch Kraus Cook Hall Griswold Larrabee Ludlow Jacobs, Sr. Brownson Barr Bruce Jacobs, Jr. Hudnut Jacobs, Jr. 12th district Hamilton Colerick Lowry J. B. White McClellan McNagny Leighty Robinson Gilbert Gilhams Cline Fairfield Hogg Ludlow 13th district Baker Calkins Shively Ford Shively Conn Royse Brick Barnhart Hickey Pettengill At-large Hendricks Jennings Packard / Orth / Williams Territory Parke Thomas Jennings